Foot discomfort and deformity represent a significant disability to the patient with R.A. Corrective surgery is the usual end stage procedure. Advances in shoeing techniques permit conservative measures to be performed to provide comfort and increased stability to rheumatoids with painful feet. The study compares 2 treatments: insertion of soft inserts to provide comfort or insertion of a corrective appliance to control abnormal foot alignment. Of seven patients entered to date, none has come to surgery and one has been switched from conservative to corrective inserts.